Could SARS-like Virus be the Beginning of a UK Epidemic?

BREAKING: During the last couple of hours, a third patient in the UK has been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus. The patient, a male from Qatar had, according to sources, spent time with the second patient, who is hospitalized in Manchester.

The staff of Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham have refused to comment, with the exception of saying they are treating one patient for the novel virus. Our source states that several more people are suspected to have the virus, and ” a number of people in both cities are under observation”

The new virus, from the family that is responsible for the common cold, is similar to SARS, Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which killed 800 and sickened thousands in 2002. At this point the Health Protection Agency has not stated where the virus originated, if the virus is a mutation of the SARS virus, or if it is distinct from it and therefore, truly novel.

What is known is this is a zoonotic disease, one that makes the jump from animals to humans. In this instance it is said by the HPA that the most likely vector is bats, but it is it currently unknown whether there is an intermediate host between the bats and humans.